One of the most common ways to effectively to deal with classroom behavior management issues is to implement a progressive discipline plan. In progressive discipline, each step is followed by another, providing students with several opportunities to modify their behavior.

For typical classroom situations, the following is an effective list of 10 progressive discipline steps that can be implemented.

Step 1: Redirect Student Behavior

Redirect student behavior by verbally or non-verbally pointing out to the student what he or she should be doing. Standing near a student who is off-task or asking a student a clarifying question can serve as effective types of redirection.

Step 2: Face-to-Face Conference with the Student

I have found that the best way to carry out this step is to schedule a quick meeting after class with the student, before he or she goes to the next class. Just pull a student aside and communicate your behavior expectations and provide the student with an opportunity to respond.

Step 3: Change the student's seating assignment.

This often works quite well, particularly if neighboring students seem to be encouraging the misbehavior.

The front row, closest to the teacher, is a good spot for relocation, although I have used seats in the back row for attention-seeking students on occasion.

Use this opportunity to express your concerns and look for any input or behavior strategies that may be working in their other classes.

Step 5: Time out.

Relocate the student to another teacher's classroom for a time out. If the previous four steps have been implemented and the behavior continues, you can send that student to a pre-arranged time-out room.

I've always found it a good practice to notify the partnering teacher that you are sending the student. After all, you are placing a misbehaving student in his or her class. With that in mind, always provide work for the student to complete while in the other teacher's class.

Step 6: Contact the parent, preferably by phone.

Always begin your call on a positive note by noting ways that the student is being successful. After that, communicate your concerns along with the process that you have already taken to correct the situation.

Make sure to take notes, provide contact information, and to express your eagerness to partner with the parent throughout the process.

Step 7: If the behavior persists, assign a detention.

Detentions can be served before or after school, or if the administration allows, during lunch. I usually avoid after-school detentions because most students depend on school busing for transportation. But, if it works for you in your situation, then this is another option.

Detention can be effective, particularly if the student must complete a task that he or she would not normally undertake. Of course, it DOES require you to put in extra time as well.

Step 8: Write a guidance referral.

Depending on your situation, you may be able to send the offending student directly to the guidance office at the time of the infraction. If not, you may be able to schedule a conference with the counselor.

If possible, provide your written documentation of the behavior interventions that you have taken for the guidance counselor's reference.

Step 9: Meet with your direct supervisor or assistant principal

Provide them with the documentation you have collected during behavior intervention. Seek their counsel and direction.

Step 10: Write a detailed discipline referral to your administrator.

Trust that the administrator will make the right decision for the student based on the documentation that you have provided.

I have also found that some of the following techniques can be used to effectively enhance classroom behavior management.

At Twin Lakes, all students were issued planners during the first week of school. These planners have the school calendar, code of conduct, and sections for each class subject divided into the individual days and weeks of the school year.

We required each student to copy into their planners the daily class schedule and homework assignments for each class.

Not only did this help them become more organized and focused on the tasks at hand, it also came in handy for communicating with parents.

For example, if parents were concerned about whether their student was handing in homework, they could request that the student have the hello teacher initial their planners.

Additionally, if students were misbehaving in class, parents could request that teachers indicate that in their planners. Yes, I agree--it sounds like just something else that you have to do. But, it IS effective.

Developing and implementing a Student Behavior Contract is something else that I think you will find to be very useful for enhancing classroom behavior management.

The primary purpose of a Student Behavior Contract is for students to be held accountable for their behavior while allowing the teacher and parents to maintain a reasonable amount of control.

It can act as a basic agreement that may allow you to work toward a resolution for problem behaviors.

You, as the teacher, should work closely with the parents to specifically identify what the expectation is for each behavior. So too, the privileges and consequences associated with the contract must be specific.

The rationale behind providing consequences should be primarily to offer an unpleasant learning experience so that the student will learn to correct his or her behavior and not repeat the offending actions.

For most students, a consequence that consists of weeks of grounding on a first offense is too long and will cause further resentment rather than providing the intended learning experience.

Two samples of Student Behavior Contracts are included in the next section.

What follows are samples of the documents that are included in the Discipline Packet along with a brief description for each.

Disciplinary Writing Assignments

I have used the following writing assignments for students exhibiting specific behavioral patterns. They work pretty well with kids because they drive home the notion of why their behavior is not constructive to them or to their fellow classmates.

Before I issue an assignment, I give the student one of these written warning slips:

Because behavioral problems can cause students to struggle to complete class assignments and to make significant progress in achieving passing grades, the following grade recovery letter to parents is an excellent starting point.

If you teach in a school that does not offer summer classes for the purpose of grade recovery, creating a grade recovery packet is a viable option.classroom behavior management
The following grade recovery letter is an excellent way to get the process underway. The footer area is customizable.

All of the above classroom behavior management documents, along with a clickable table of contents are in PDF file format.classroom behavior management
If you need a PDF reader/printer application, Adobe offers a free download which you may access here.
classroom behavior management

Clearly, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to classroom behavior management. Kids just respond differently to corrective initiatives.classroom behavior management
The ideas presented here, in my opinion, will assist you greatly in dealing with students who insist upon wreaking havoc in your classroom.classroom behavior management
The true secret weapon, however, is to out-number them. Surround them with people who care about their success in school and who are willing to exercise the appropriate tough love.
classroom behavior management
It may take a little trial and error, but you WILL be successful.